Why is hemoglobin called a conjugated protein? What happens to the molecule at a high and low partial pressure of oxygen?
Hemoglobin: It is called conjugated protein because it consists of a basic protein globin and a non-protein heme. The haemoglobin when exposed to the high partial pressure of oxygen combines with oxygen to form oxyhaemoglobin which carries 4 molecules of oxygen loosely bound to the four Fe2+ ions. When this oxyhaemoglobin reaches the tissues where there is low oxygen pressure oxyhaemoglobin dissociates into oxygen and deoxyhemoglobin.
